Category: Safety

What’s Considered as Distracted Driving?

Posted on | by Wisam Abou-diab | Leave a Comment on What’s Considered as Distracted Driving?

By definition, distracted driving seems pretty simple. If something is causing a driver to compromise their judgement while driving – it is considered a distraction. Typically, most people associate distracted driving with electronic devices. It has now become common knowledge that you absolutely cannot be using your phone while driving or even hold it in your hands. Well, unless your idea of fun includes paying up to $1000 and receiving three demerit points (not to mention a suspended license for 30 days for a first conviction).

 

What is considered as distracted driving

 

Still sound like fun? No? Just don’t use your phone while driving. While that statement is applicable everywhere that roads exist, these consequences come directly from Ontario’s laws. So if you’re from Ontario, pay extra attention folks.

 

Now that we are familiar with the consequences of using an electronic device while driving, let’s discuss what else constitutes distracted driving according to the RCMP.

 

 

Did Matt’s infamous “shortcut” get you lost again? Well, you’re going to have to pull over and type your destination into the GPS when you aren’t driving.

 

Wondering if you missed any information in that document you just signed? You’ll need to wait until you are no longer driving in order to read it.

 

Is Friday by Rebecca Black blaring through your speakers? Well, you can apologise to your ears after you pull over because you can’t switch playlists while driving either.

 

 

Oh, and that burrito in the passenger seat that you just picked up? It might be calling your name but if you choose to eat it on the road, a distracted driving violation could be waiting for you too (Plus six demerits depending on the food).

 

Eating Distracted Driving

 

 

Got it?

 

Basically, distracted driving isn’t only limited to the use of electronics. You could be combing your hair while merging to be found guilty of distracted driving. So let’s get into specifics, the following actions that are considered as distracted driving: 

 

  • Talking on a cell phone
  • Texting
  • Reading (books, maps, newspapers for example)
  • Using a GPS navigator
  • Watching videos or movies
  • Eating /drinking
  • Smoking
  • Personal grooming
  • Adjusting the radio / CD
  • Playing extremely loud music

 

So What?

 

Look, rules are broken all the time. But when it comes to distracted driving, breaking the rules could mean the difference between life and death. In fact, 80% of collisions and 65% of near crashes have some form of driver inattention as contributing factors according to the National Highway Safety Administration. With statistics like those, companies have started to take preventative action by implementing ways to monitor distracted driving on the roads.

 

 

What’s Being Done About it?

 

Solutions like alert systems to tell drivers to slow down when they’re speeding, for example, can help create a safer environment on the road. GoFleet specifically offers solutions to act as deterrents for distracted driving; like their variety of cameras, hands-free communication alternatives, and cellphone disabling systems. A cool feature that we will see available on the market is Video AI. This technology processes facial contours to determine if people are distracted or not while they are driving, and sends notifications to managers. The system is able to detect when the driver is texting, eating, micro-sleeping, holding a phone, yawning and more. It can be suggested that reactions leading to crashes usually occur when the driver in question is being distracted while operating the vehicle. Technology is making big moves people!

 

 

Many companies run reports and try to further educate drivers on how to drive safely so fewer accidents occur due to distractions. What’s more, goFleet also offers solutions for disabling mobile devices while the driver is on a route, as well as intelligent cameras that recognize if the eyes are looking down, or if there’s a phone in your hand, if you’re eating and more! See our solutions by clicking here.

 

Okay so, just to clarify – no phone use while driving. At all.

 

Do not take your eyes off the road to pull out your lunch, and definitely do not try to do your makeup on the way to work. Anything that could limit you from being focused while driving should be avoided. Let’s work together to be more aware and keep the streets safer.

 

Distracted Driving

 

What is ADAS & What is ADAS Used For?

Posted on | by Jimmy Song | Leave a Comment on What is ADAS & What is ADAS Used For?

ADAS, or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, help drivers stay safe on the road. In fact, in a recent fleet management survey, ADAS are one of the biggest industry trends because of their accident prevention capability.

In this post, we will explore a few items including what is ADAS, what is ADAS used for, and how successful are ADAS.

What is ADAS?

what is ADAS

To illustrate, think about ADAS like Batman thinks of his Batmobile – a vehicle enhancer! Although ADAS does not shoot out webs, they have sensors that detect impending collisions and warn drivers.

An example of a ADAS is Mobileye. Ricardo Ruffino, Regional Sales Manager at Mobileye explains their popularity. “According to studies, human error causes 94% of collisions”, said Ruffino. “That’s a huge number and part of our job at Mobileye is to prevent those accidents and make our roads safer.”

What is ADAS Used For?

Another good question is what is ADAS used for. There are different use cases but we’ll start with Mobileye’s sensors.

Some examples of sensors include Forward Collision Warning, Headway Monitoring & Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Pedestrian & Cyclist Collision Warning.

Forward Collision Warning

Forward Collision Warning

Perhaps the first sensor that comes to people’s minds are Forward Collision Warning sensors. These sensors detect when a vehicle is about to hit another vehicle ahead of them. When a collision is imminent, it make an audible sound for the driver to stop.

Distracted driving is a good example. A bussing company used Mobileye, and as a result, directly prevented an accident. A distracted bus driver did not notice that the vehicle ahead braked. However, because the Mobileye sounded, the driver braked the bus before it hit the other vehicle.

Headway Monitoring & Warning

Comparatively to Forward Collision Warnings, Headway Monitoring & Warning provide preventative warning ahead of collisions. Mobileye’s sensor uses an algorithm to compare vehicle speed and objects ahead. If a driver follows the leading vehicle too closely, the Mobileye will warn the driver to create more room.

Lane Departure Warning

Another useful sensor is the Lane Departure Warning. Lane departures are an important driving event because 60% of fatal collisions involve a vehicle that leaves its lane. If a driver is veering off the road, Mobileye will warn them to stay in their lane.

Pedestrian & Cycling Warning

Pedestrian & Cycling Warning

Lastly, Mobileye detects and warns drivers if they are about to hit a pedestrian and cyclist. This is especially relevant because of recent traffic trends. For instance, even though the City of Toronto designed an initiative called “Vision Zero” to eliminate fatal pedestrian and cyclist collisions, pedestrian deaths are still rising.

How effective are ADAS?

Finally, some people might be wondering what is ADAS’s success rate or how to sell it to a boss. “In summary, we have several success stories,” said Ruffino. “For instance, we had a pilot with a Dutch safety board. We installed Mobileye in 2000 vehicles and recorded no collisions during the pilot. In contrast, a non-Mobileye test group of 500 vehicles had 5 collisions during that time.”

Part 3: Common Useful Reports – Driver Safety Reports

Posted on | by Jimmy Song | Leave a Comment on Part 3: Common Useful Reports – Driver Safety Reports

One of our biggest client request is creating reports. Reports are a useful fleet management tool because they provide snapshots for decision making. For instance, safety managers use driver safety reports to monitor driver safety and train drivers on best practices.

Driver Safety Reports

Safety is a top priority for many fleets because even a single accident can be disastrous. For instance, think about the BP oil spill a few years ago. In this case, an oil rig leaked and caused wide damage. The company paid billions of dollars in fines and saw a consumer backlash in sales.

Similarly, fleet businesses invest heavily into driver safety to prevent accidents. Some of the most common driver safety reports measure include seatbelt violations, Top 5 Speeding Violators, and Top 5 Aggressive Drivers.

Seatbelt Violators

Many people were taught from an early age to wear their seatbelts. Although most people wear seatbelts, there are still a few folks who don’t.

This problem also impacts fleets. Businesses are partly liable for workplace safety so most fleets have seatbelt policies. Fortunately, a lot of these fleets get visibility on seatbelt compliance by using vehicle monitoring tools.

Seatbelt Violators

To illustrate, Geotab uses a Top 5 Seatbelt Violation report to monitor seatbelt compliance. In our example report, the biggest concern is Vehicle 4. As a result of this data, the supervisor knows to follow up with Vehicle 4’s driver on their seatbelt usage.

Top 5 Speeding Report

Another common safety metric is speeding. Speeding is extremely common. For instance, think about the last time you were on the road. How many speeders did you see? Most drivers will answer, “almost everyone on the road!”

Speeding, however, is especially concerning for commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles are much bigger and heavier than private vehicles. Therefore, commercial vehicle accidents are usually more serious than non-commercial vehicle accidents.

top 5 speeding violations

In response, supervisors use driver safety reports such as Top Speeding Violators. In our sample report, Alex leads the fleet in speeding incidents. As a result, his manager has the data to say something like, “Alex, I noticed that you sped a company-leading 144 times. I expect you to decrease that to X speeding incidents next month.”

Top 5 Aggressive Driving

Is speeding the only aggressive driving habit? No. There are tons of other aggressive driving habits. For instance, in Ontario driving tests, assessors watch aggressive habits such as braking harshly, accelerating harshly, and cutting other drivers.

Harsh braking is a particularly common KPI in modern fleets. Managers found a strong correlation between harsh braking incidents and distracted and fatigued driving incidents.

harh braking driving behaviour

In response, a lot of supervisors are now collecting video driving safety reports. Fleet cameras detect aggressive driving habits and show a footage of the event. As a result, managers can check if the driver was distracted or fatigued.

Did you enjoy our mini-series on useful fleet reports? Click here to watch a video on other common driver safety reports. 

Updating Your Fleet for Marijuana Legalization

Posted on | by Jimmy Song | Leave a Comment on Updating Your Fleet for Marijuana Legalization

October 17th is an important day for many people. Firstly, on a selfish side, I’m looking forward to October 17th because my beloved Toronto Raptors are opening their season with a new superstar. However, for many other people, October 17th is important because it marks marijuana legalization in Canada.

Marijuana Legalization

Several countries and regions around the world already legalized marijuana. Soon, Canada will too. After years of planning, the Canadian government will legalize marijuana on October 17th across the country.

However, there are some valid concerns around marijuana legalization. For instance, most subject experts agree that cannabis impairs driving and that the law should protect the public against impaired drivers.

Impaired Driving Rules

In response to driving safety concerns, the government outlined several standards. For instance, officers can use oral fluid screening on suspected impaired drivers. Just like drunk drivers, cannabis impaired drivers are subject to penalties including license suspension, fines, and jail time.

In addition, marijuana laws particularly affect fleets. In Ontario, commercial vehicle drivers and road building vehicle operators cannot use cannabis at all while driving.

Should Fleets Update their Policy?

Fleets should absolutely update their policy. A sizeable portion of a fleet’s workforce might use marijuana and it’s up to the fleet to control cannabis on the job. After all, fleet managers are responsible for improving safety and reducing fines.

Some examples of strategies include fleet education, impairment detection tools, and random drug testing.

Fleet Education

In our option, fleet education is the most effective way to control marijuana. Similar to a drunk driving policy, fleets should take a firm stance against impaired driving and communicate their stance.

How can fleets educate their drivers? In the past, fleets created employee contracts about cannabis, scheduled regular meetings about drug use, and enforced a zero-tolerance policy against drivers.

Impairment Detection Tools

Another option is using impairment detection tools. For instance, programmers created phone apps that monitor driver impairment. To illustrate, we took a look at Fit4Delay. Fit4Delay uses a 60-90 second cognitive test to identify distracted drivers.

Although impairment detection tools discourage “weeding and driving”, it should not be the only tool. Light cannabis users might pass an app test but get fined by police officers because commercial vehicle drivers are not supposed to use any marijuana.

Random Drug Testing

Finally, some fleets use random drug testing. While this approach might catch and deter impaired drivers, it’s not the most recommended strategy.

Random drug testing is highly controversial and is even illegal in some areas. At worst, fleets that use random drug testing can get sued by employees.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on any fleet strategies in our comment section!

Links
Government of Ontario: Cannabis Legalization
Fit4Duty

Distracted Driving Laws & Policies

Posted on | by Jimmy Song

Did you know that April was Distracted Driving Awareness month? Distracted driving laws and policies are some of the biggest fleet management topics in recent years.

 

In this post, we will look at distracted driving laws around the world, sample distracted driving policies in fleets, and finally new anti-distracted driving technologies.

Distracted driving laws around the world

If drinking and driving awareness was the 20th century trend, then distracted driving awareness should be the 21st century trend! Many countries got the same memo and passed distracted driving laws.<p/)

 

Here are some examples around the world:

 

  • Canada: Canadian distracted driving laws vary by province. For example, Ontario recently toughened laws by adding a license suspension on top of a traffic ticket for distracted drivers.
  • US: Similar to Canada’s laws, cell phone laws vary by state. For instance, many states ban cellphone use while some states only ban cellphone use for new drivers.
  • Europe: Like North America, many European countries have strict laws. In the UK, your second distracted driving ticket leads to a 6-month license ban.

 

Clearly, many countries agree on having anti-distracted driving laws. The biggest challenge, like any laws, is enforcing the rules. Unfortunately, even with steep penalties, a lot of drivers still refuse to put down their phones.

Perhaps a good case study is to look at how some fleets enforced their distracted driving policies.

Example – Distracted Driving Policy

By 2018, most fleets have their own distracted driving policies. Some of the steps to implementing an effective policy include creating a policy, educating drivers on the policy, and enforcing the policy.

Creating a policy

Policies should be clearly written. A sample driving policy should include:

  • A mission statement to describe the objective, such as “providing a safe service”.
  • Rules to define how drivers must behave. For example, one business wrote that “drivers must not use cell phones while operating vehicles and must pull over to use their phone”.
  • Finally, there should be clear consequences for breaking the policy.

Educating drivers

After creating the policy, businesses must then educate stakeholders. There are two typical ways to educate drivers – formally and informally.

Formal education means company-endorsed events. For example, drivers should sign an agreement or managers should conduct distracted driving awareness workshops.

Informal education, on the other hand, are non-official but equally effective initiatives. For example, it might include company drivers who become role models and speak out against distracted driving.

Enforcing rules

Finally, the biggest success factor is being able to enforce distracted driving rules. Two common ways to enforce rules include:

Reporting system. A reporting system is when supervisors react to reports. Reports might include traffic tickets, public complaints, or camera footage.

Prevention systems. A prevention system is when supervisors prevent drivers from using phones. Some in-cab technology block cell phone use and prevent drivers from using their phones.

 

New Technology – Fatigue & Distracted Driver Camera

On a concluding note, anti-distracted driving technology growth is also matching cell phone technology growth.

 

A good example of such technology are distracted driver cameras. These cameras recognize distracted drivers by using facial scanning technology. ZenduCAM and SmartWitness recently developed a fatigue and distracted driver alert camera that detects events such as:

 

  • Distracted drivers that take their eyes away from the road for over 3 seconds.
  • Fatigued drivers that are closing their eyes or slumping forward.

Similar to how people stopped drunk drivers with ignition locks, new technology and ideas are stopping distracted drivers!

Links
CityNews: Ontario’s tough distracted driving laws one step closer to taking effect
IIHS: Distracted Driving
AutoNews: Texting and driving bans and fines worldwide

Managing Driving Fatigue Around Daylight Savings Time

Posted on | by Jimmy Song

Recently, the clocks sprang forward for Daylight Savings Time. Although people enjoy more sunlight in the evening, fleet safety managers are concerned about managing driver fatigue. According to studies, people are 17% more likely to get in an accident on the Monday after the time change.

Of course, that doesn’t Daylight Savings Time is an awful idea! Let’s explore the history of daylight savings time and discuss managing driver fatigue.

History of Daylight Savings Time

Who thought of Daylight Savings Time? Daylight Savings Time has hundreds of years of history.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the thought leaders for Daylight Savings Time – he strongly believed that people should rely on sunlight rather than candles. Franklin then published an essay where he summarized that the economy could save millions of dollars with sunlight.

William Willett

While Franklin thought about maximizing sunlight, Willett was the one who suggested an actual time change. One day, Willett realized that people can get more sunlight by advancing clocks by an hour between spring and fall.Year after year, the British parliament mulled over Willett’s idea.

Wartime & Afterwards

Daylights Savings did not take place until the First World War, where countries needed to save energy. It was actually Germany who first used Daylight Savings. England and the Allies soon followed suit.

After the war, some cities continued using Daylight Savings Time. Eventually, governments realized that it made more sense for everyone to have Daylight Savings Time and passed a law to do so. Today, about 40% of places use Daylight Savings Time!

Daylight Savings & Road Safety

Road safety was perhaps something Franklin and Willett didn’t consider. Cars, after all, were not popularized until the 1900s!

Daylight Savings Time affects road safety because:

Driver fatigue. Losing an hour is bad news for sleep lovers! In addition to the lost hour, most people find it hard to force themselves to sleep earlier. Of course, by losing sleep, people have reduced physical and mental ability in the morning.

Visibility. While Daylight Savings mean longer evenings, it also means darker morning drives. Early March is always a tease; before Daylight Savings Time, people get a preview of bright mornings but are then treated to a dark morning after Daylight Savings Time kicks in!

Managing Driver Fatigue

Drivers and fleets both have a role in managing driver fatigue.

Drivers

People can reduce fatigue by managing their sleeping schedules. Some of the top tips include:

7 Day Adjustment

The National Sleep Foundation recommends using an entire week to prepare for Daylight Savings. Each day, people should sleep 10 minutes earlier than the day before. As a result, an entire hour is made up by the week’s end.

Bedtime Ritual

Another tip is to work on a bedtime ritual. Some rituals such as avoiding electronics or food before sleep should be universal. Other rituals depend on the person. For example, I sometimes play light instrumental music to help me fall asleep.

Fleets

Driver supervisors are also taking charge of managing driver fatigue.

Case Study: Driver Fatigue Detection

Some fleets use driver fatigue detection sensors. Fatigue detection sensors scan a driver’s facial structure to measure their fatigue. During the Daylight Savings Time switch, some managers took a positive spin by using fatigue sensors to identify and reward alert drivers!

Click here to learn more about the Dangers of Driver Fatigue!

Links
History: 8 Things You May Not Know About Daylight Saving Time
Telegram: Deadly car crashes spike after changing clocks for Daylight Saving Time

Safe Driving Guide | From Coaching to Collision Warning Systems

Posted on | by Jimmy Song

Where did you learn how to drive? A lot of people learn from driving schools or from family members. In my case, my dad sat in the passenger seat and he was my extra set of eyes. It sure was a relief to have someone correct my mistakes! Besides driving school or family members, people also learned from tools such as in-cab coaching and collision warning systems.

Here are 3 ways where drivers can learn how to drive safely.

ways to drive safely

1) Driving Schools

Driving schools are an awesome place to learn safe driving. So how important is driving school? Compared to people who never attended driving school, driving school graduates get 75% fewer tickets and have 16% fewer accidents. That’s a big difference!

Driving schools, typically, are a combo of classroom and hands-on training. Both training methods are important and save drivers from tickets and accidents.

Classroom training

A lot of students only look forward to hands-on training. From my driving class lessons, I recall some of my classmates dozing off in the classroom. Big mistake! Classroom training teaches driving rules and makes a difference in avoiding traffic tickets.

Hands-on training

Most students sign up for driving school because of hands-on training. Hands-on training is where students get in a car with an instructor. The instructor then teaches students how to drive safely.

The best part is that this is all done in a safe car. Because instructors have their own brakes, they can stop the vehicle before it gets in an accident.

… And new ways of training!

The exciting part is some driving schools go beyond classroom and hands-on training. Driver simulation, for instance, is a growing area.

In driving simulations, students practice with virtual reality and a driving seat. As a result, students can safely practice anything from basic driving to emergencies.

2) In-Cab Coaching

In-cab coaching is like having a personal driving instructor. A coaching device monitors driving habits and uses a speaker for verbal feedback.
Example

Let’s say a new driver is being trained on driving to the speed limit. In this case, a zero-tolerance speeding rule is set up on the device. The driver is then actively monitored and trained by the device. If they exceed the exceed the limit, an audible alert reminds the driver to slow down.

In addition to speeding, drivers can be trained on other areas. Other common areas include acceleration, braking, cornering, and seatbelts.

3) Collision Warning Systems

If in-cab training is the coach, then collision warning systems are guardians. They warn and stop drivers from getting into collisions with vehicles and pedestrians.

So how exactly do collision warning systems work? The exciting answer is that it depends on the system!

Basic collision warning systems warn drivers by using visual and audio alerts. Advanced systems, on the other hand, brake the vehicle before it crashes. They are so advanced that the system is being used to develop self-driving cars!

More information about driving safety systems:
In-cab training: GoTalk
Forward collision warning: Mobileye
UNL News Releases: Study: Driver’s ed significantly reduces teen crashes, tickets

5 Tips for Getting Home Safely this New Year’s Eve

Posted on | by Samantha Tung

Written by Samantha Tung, Caliber Collision

New Year’s Eve is a day full of excitement and celebration. However, all of that celebrating can create a dangerous situation out on the roads.

On New Year’s Eve, there are more alcohol-related car accidents than most other nights. In fact, when compared to an average weekend night, there is about 71 percent more alcohol- and drug-related accidents between 6 pm on December 31 and 6 am on January 1st.

Because these crashes are so common, it is especially important that you stay safe when on the roads.

Follow these five tips to ensure you make it home safely this New Year’s Eve.

safe NYE driving

1. Have a Designated Driver

One of the easiest ways to get home safe on New Year’s Eve this year is to have a designated driver pick you up and drop you off at home. You probably won’t have to pay your designated driver! You can always buy them dinner or non-alcoholic drinks in exchange for a safe ride home. Just make sure you choose someone who won’t drink at the party or event you’re going to. Even a single drink can be dangerous!

However, if you don’t have a friend that’s willing to be a designated driver, Dryver offers designated driver services across 76 cities in the United States via a smartphone app. You can easily hire a designated driver pick up a few guests for an event, by the hour, or for order pickup services all through the app. Plus, the driver uses your car, so there’s no need to worry about Uber drivers and cabs fighting over who picks up whom.

2. Use Public Transportation

The easiest and cheapest way to get home safe on New Year’s Eve is taking public transportation, whether it be using a bus, boat, or subway.
Fortunately, most cities have public transportation, so it won’t be challenging to find a safe route home. Also, most major cities offer reduced or free late night services for public transportation on New Year’s Eve and other major holidays.

3. Book a Cab or Use a Rideshare Service

Clearly, one of the more popular ways to get to and from a destination safely is taking a cab, Lyft, or Uber. However, more often enough, rideshare services are becoming increasingly more popular than cabs. You can hail a ride and pay for it right from the app.

When you’re taking an Uber or Lyft, make sure you avoid the costly surge charge. Usually, during major holidays when traffic is bad or there are fewer drivers on the road, rideshare services charge users a “surge charge,” which is usually twice the cost of a normal ride. However, Uber representatives predict that the surge on New Year’s Eve will last from 12:30 to 2:30, so make sure you get a ride either before or after!

4. Consider Staying Over

If you can’t find a designated driver or don’t have the money for a rideshare service, there’s no need to worry. If you’re at a party, consider staying over until the morning.

Most cases, your friends are already planning on staying over, and it will be easier for your convenience. However, just make sure you ask the host of the party beforehand, to make sure they have enough room for you to stay over. Plus, they might even offer you a ride home in the morning, once everyone is sober.

5. Contact AAA

If you have an AAA membership, you may be in luck. AAA offers pickup service to over 20 regions in the country on New Year’s Eve. Although this means that their services aren’t available to everyone, you should try to contact AAA and schedule some sort of pick up after your party to ensure a safe drive home. You can also check online to see whether or not their service is available in your area.

Samantha Tung is a contributing writer and media specialist for Caliber Collision. She often contributes content for a variety of car safety blogs. 

Getting Through Winter 2018 | Part 2: Winter Fleet Operations

Posted on | by Jimmy Song

Fleets are gearing up for winter fleet operations. Recently, weather forecasters predicted that winter 2018 is going to be a big one!

According to their forecasts, this winter will be snowier and colder than normal. In Ontario and Quebec, forecasters are calling for a classic Canadian winter with snowfalls lasting until March. This is because this year’s weather system closely matches some of the strongest winters in recent years.

In our second guide for winter 2018, we will take a look at how to improve winter fleet operations.

Common Winter Fleet Operations Issues

Mother Nature

Issue: Winter weather disrupts business.

Imagine this. A client schedules a job and needs timely service. The truck goes on the road and everything seems to be going smoothly – until we check the forecast. The forecast warns, “Blizzard warning in effect. Traffic will be delayed.” Then, the driver calls and says that they are stranded. Ouch!

Winter can be brutal for fleets. Drivers often struggle with weather delays and have to go through unsafe roads. How can fleets balance customer expectations with weather delays?

Solution: Fleets need to plan ahead and regularly communicate with drivers.

Although delays are unavoidable, a big part of winter fleet operations involves tracking and planning for storms. Fleet tracking programs are able to do both of these things.

For example, the Geotab system has a Road Weather Hazard feature. With this feature, fleets can track bad weather and warn drivers ahead of time. Also, the system takes a look at road closures and delays. Dispatchers and drivers can then use this info to avoid getting stuck on the road.

Defensive Driving

Issue: Winter driving is dangerous and drivers need to be extra careful.

Winter is one of the most dangerous times to drive. In an average year, there are hundreds of thousands of crashes due to weather. As a result, drivers are trained to drive defensively.

Some of the best practices of winter driving include:

  • Making sure all lights, windows and mirrors are visible
  • Driving extra slow and braking early, especially at intersections and ramps
  • Keeping a safe distance from other drivers

The challenge, however, is for fleets to get drivers to follow these best practices.

Solution: Companies can monitor and track defensive driving habits.

Fleets are solidifying their safety policies by measuring defensive driving rules. For example, fleets might encourage slowing down on ramps by setting maximum ramp speeds. In order to monitor if drivers are slowing down, fleets rely on tracking software to look at custom ramp speed rules.

Communication

Problem: Drivers need a reliable way to communicate.

One of the risks of winter driving is getting stranded on the road. Unfortunately, there are many cases of stranded drivers each winter.

As a result, a lot of drivers carry winter survival kits in case they get stranded. These kits include enough food and water for a few days. It also includes a reliable radio or phone. In addition to winter survival kits, what are other ways to provide drivers with peace of mind?

Solution: Fleets are equipping trucks with emergency contact systems.

Some fleets are adding a satellite mandown system to winter survival kits. These systems provide a way for stranded drivers to call for help, no matter where they are. “My drivers have asked for a mandown system for a long time. It lets them call for help when their cellphones don’t work.”, said a fleet manager.

Is your fleet prepared for this year’s classic winter?

Links:
Weather Network: ‘Classic’ Canadian winter making a comeback
Geotab: Protect Your Fleet from Winter Weather Hazards
C.H. Robinson The Road: Winter Weather Impacts Trucking

Getting Through Winter 2018 – Part 1 | Winter Fleet Maintenance

Posted on | by Jimmy Song

Winter fleet maintenance is once again a popular topic now that winter is almost upon us!

Oh yes, (Or oh no, depending on your seasonal preference!) winter weather is indeed here. Earlier in November, a record cold temperature was set in Toronto. In other areas, large amounts of snow are already on the ground.

How has the early blast of winter affected fleets? For fleet managers, they got a fresh reminder on why winter fleet maintenance is important. Due to the snow and the cold, fleet managers have their hands full with anything from fuel usage to breakdowns.

Let’s take a look at a list of winter issues.

Common Winter Fleet Maintenance Issues

Idling and Fuel Usage

Issue: There is a myth that long periods of idling helps warm up your vehicle.

How long should drivers idle to warm up their vehicle? For some drivers, they leave their vehicle on for several minutes. One driver even left their truck running for 2 hours to try to stay warm! Was idling for several minutes, even hours, effective in keeping drivers warm?

Unfortunately for the idling drivers, the answer is no! Researchers found that modern vehicles only take 30 to 60 seconds to get ready. Anything over a minute leads to wasted time and wasted fuel.

Solution: Educating drivers and using a no-idling policy.

The best solution is education. Some drivers might not know that idling past a minute does not keep them warm. It’s not entirely their fault until told otherwise!

As a result, some fleets implemented a year-round no-idling policy. These fleets tracked idling and identified drivers who need to reduce their idle times. These drivers were then trained on how to reduce idling and on alternatives to staying warm.

Maintenance

Issue: Winter conditions can be punishing for fleet equipment.

Winter is punishing for vehicles. Its extreme conditions damage vehicle components. In fact, out of the year, the winter months are the most likely months for vehicles to break down.

Solution: Fleets should create and use a regular winter fleet maintenance program.

In order to prevent winter breakdowns, regular vehicle checks should be performed. For example, some of the best practices include:

  • Checking lights weekly
  • Checking oil levels, engine coolants, and tire pressures biweekly
  • Checking power steering fluids, windshield fluids, and brake fluids monthly.

Of course, like any regular human, check-ups can be easily forgotten and missed. In order to remind drivers and mechanics, fleets use maintenance programs to create regular tasks.

In addition to sending reminders, fleet maintenance programs actively monitor vehicle health. For example, if the system detects that the vehicle batteries are starting to fail, it will send an alert to the maintenance team. This allows the fleet to take the vehicle off the road and fix it before it breaks down.

Tire Health

Issue: Fleets need to equip appropriate winter tires and maintain their tire pressure.

Besides using winter tires, fleets need to actively monitor tire pressures. Even the best winter tires will underperform if it is not taken care of. How can fleets ensure that winter tires will do its job?

Solution: Drivers need to regularly check tire pressure.

The best practice is to regularly check tires. Experts recommend that tires should be checked multiple times per month. In addition to regular tire checks, a good program to use is a tire pressure monitoring system.

Tire pressure monitoring systems include a dynamic duo of a tire sensor and a tire pressure display. The tire sensor reads tire pressures in real time and sends the information to both in-cab displays and in reports. As a result, drivers and managers can fix under-inflated tires before the vehicle caught in an incident.

Check back in for part 2 of our winter 2018 guide!

Links

CP24: Toronto breaks 79-year-old record as temperature plunges to -10.1 C

CBC: Idling your car in winter not worth your time or gas, driving educator says

RAC: Winter Breakdowns

BusinessFleet: Winter Operation and Maintenance Tips for Fleets